The Amazing Race Season 17, Episode 11

By Daron Aldridge

December 6, 2010

I can't believe he doesn't stop being a douche.

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Anxiously waiting for their train, Jill & Thomas are on the lookout for the pink-clad Team HSN. Fortunately for them, Brook can’t operate the turnstile and the couple is the only team on the first train to the stadium. The girls are joined shortly by the doctors. It’s time for the obligatory shot of Nick & Vicki asleep on their plane ride. Now we get back to the race part of the leg.

At the stadium, Jill & Thomas get their Detour clue. For Full Throttle, they have to go to a speed skating rink and skate 24 relay laps before getting their clue. For Full Bottle, teams have to head to a market and carry six bottles filled with liquid and a giant ginseng root to a pharmacy without breaking any of them. Then, drink a ginseng tonic.

Despite being in first, Jill & Thomas are going to feel the pressure because the doctors and Team HSN opt for Full Throttle also. There is the potential for conflict because Claire doesn’t feel confident skating but feels certain that Brook will yell at her to hurry. Instead of debating the chance they will fight, Brook & Claire should have read the part of their instructions that say to walk or take the subway to the Detour. They hop in a cab and give the freshly landed Nick & Vicki about the only time break they are going to get. There is no way that a 30 minute penalty would ding them too badly, though.

Of course, Brook & Claire get to the stadium first and suit up. Jill & Thomas show up and immediately begin to question their speed to the stadium. There’s no time to dwell on it, though. Both teams take the ice and with no style at all slowly trudge around the rink.

Meanwhile, Nick & Vicki are following a guy they met at the airport to the North Korean border, or so they hope. The lack of confidence by their guide doesn’t boost their faith in this course of action.

At the rink, Jill & Thomas are able to reclaim first place and get the clue to go to Han Riverside Park, albeit with a narrow margin, as Team HSN is also outside hailing a cab too. This leaves newly arrived Nat & Kat securely in third and hitting the ice.

Brook meets her Korean counterpart in the form of their cabbie to the park. He also thinks he is quite the comedian but he is more interested in making conversation with Claire. At the park, as the dating couple search, we get this wise nugget from Thomas: “You can’t ask old people for directions.” Jill beautifully fires back: “What about this guy? Is he in your age group?” They are not having any luck on finding the clue box beneath a giant airplane statue.

Brook & Claire have found it and are back in first. The clue directs them to the Temple of Heaven, which is the next Pitstop. The doctors have now finished the Detour, as Jill & Thomas finally find the cluebox.




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Team HSN sprints to the temple and Phil does what we all knew was in store for them. They get to ride the pine for the next half hour and undoubtedly watch Jill & Thomas take first place and possibly Nat & Kat claim second. The girls don’t seem surprised by the news.

After ten minutes of dealing with a cabbie who can’t get directions to the temple, Jill & Thomas switch cabs and get to Pitstop as number one. To add insult to injury, Brook & Claire have to just watch as they also get the prize vacation from Travelocity for being first. Luckily, Team HSN are checked in as the number two team before Nat & Kat arrive. With the doctors checked in and officially rounding out the final three, it is time for the abbreviated tasks for Nick & Vicki.

Instead of rafting, they are driven to the Camp Casey and we get a glimpse of their Speedbump – washing a tank. This is a much more Amazing Race-worthy task than sitting on a block of ice. Next we see them getting the obvious news from Phil. They both reflect on their relationship as if it can only get better. Agreed, but only if Vicki’s positive attitude completely squelches Nick’s negativity, that is.

I am happy to report that I did accurately pick Nick & Vicki as making it to fourth place and that Jill & Thomas would be in the final three. And I will take the asterisk if the doctors or Team HSN wins this season because I did guess that this would be the first time an all-female team would win. Based upon the previews, I am re-predicting that it will be Brook & Claire. Too bad, I picked the inept volleyballers as my winners.

See you next week for another finale to the Amazing Race.


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